Resilient floor construction



May 1, 1956 E. KUHLMAN 2,743,487

RESILIENT FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 1s, 1951 Fly 5 JNVENToR.

United States Patent O 2,743,487 RESILIENT FLDOR CONSTRUCTION Leo E. Kuhlman, Detroit, Mich. Application April 18, 1951, Serial No. 221,647 1 Claim. (Cl. 20-6) This invention relates to building construction and has particular `reference to a resilient floor for use in lgymnasiums, basket iball courts, roller rinks, and other places where athletic events take place.

It is now almost universally the practice to build gymnasiums on the ground floor of a building, using concrete as 4the sub-floor. This ltype of construction results in a very rigid floor which is highly damaging to the muscles of athletes who must use such a floor.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a building structure having a floor which is resilient to a sufficient degree so that it is acceptable for use where athletic events are to take place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient floor of the character indicated, which floor is so constructed and arranged so ythat the resiliency may 'be controlled to insure a proper safety factor.

Another object of vthe invention is to provide a floor of the character indicated in which the dead weight in any specific arrangement of the oor is `distributed over a substantially large area.

Another object of ythe invention is to provide a resilient floor of the character indicated, which is simple in construction, economical to assemble, and one which is easy to make level during the installation thereof.

Another object of the invention is `to provide a oor which has a predeterminedk amount of resiliency but which is substantially soundproof.

Another object of the invention is yto provide a floor i of the character indicated which is constructed and arranged to allow ventilation between the wooden sub-licorand concrete sub-floor, with lthe end result that any tendency of the floor to rot or deteriorate, because of the existence of moisture, is obviated.

Another object lof the invention is `to provide a floor in which the sectioned portion thereof is spaced from the sub-hoor by means of `the plurality of leaf springs, each of which is provided with slidable bearings with supporting means for the `bearings which maintain the springs in alignment and prevent the springs from shifting laterally f and shall permit the springs to compensate for any expansion which might Atake place in lthe structural members .to which the springs are attached.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to -time to the accompanying drawings forming part of the within -disclosures in Which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a floor embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the structures shown in Fig. 1 with the finished floor and wooden subfloor removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates a concrete suboor and the reference characters S and 9 indicate the side walls of a building. Embedded in the upper surface of the concrete sub-floor 7 is a plurality of wooden sleepers 10, which are positioned parallel and in space relation with Itheir upper surfaces flush with the upper surface of the concrete '7. Cross members 11 are laid -in the opposite direction on top of the sleepers 10 and in paral- 2,743,487 Patented May 1, 1956 ICC lel, spaced relation. The cross members 11 are secured to the sleepers 10 by nails 12 or other suitable means` Positioned on the cross members 11 and secured `thereto as at 11A is a plurality of channel-like members 13 which serve as 'bearing plates for the ends of the arcuate leaf springs 14. The side walls .115 of the channel members 13 maintain the springs 14 in alignment and prevent the ends thereof from moving laterally but permit them to move longitudinally. The springs 14 are preferably made from heavy spring steel and have their ends uptu-rned as at 16 -to provide curved bearing surfaces on the undersides. The bearing members 13 are preferably made of bronze 'to minimize the Wear and eliminate any tendency of 'the springs 14to make a noise as lthey work on the bearing members 13. The springs 14 are secured at their centers by means of bolts 17 to the underside of 2 X 4s 18, which 2 x 4s extend in an opposite direction to the cross members 11 and are spaced, as is the practice, with conventional floor joists. The wooden subfloor 19 is diagonally positioned across the 2 x Vs 18 and secured thereto at 20 as in conventional practice. The nish flooring 21 is then positioned on the wooden subfloor 19 and is secured thereto as in conventional practice. In order to control and limit the downward flexing of the springs 14, l provide a plurality of stops 22 which are secured in spaced relation lto the underside of the 2 X 4s 18. The stops I22 are of such length as to permit the springs 14 to liex approximately 3/s of an inch. This provides the licor with suflicient resiliency yet injects a safety factor to give the floor a solid foundation beyond ythe iiexibility ofthe springs. Y

At ythe ends of the 2 x 4s 1S, 1 prefer 'to provide rubber bumpers 23 for the purpose of minimizing any shock ywhich may arise by reason of the contacting of the resiliently-mounted floor with the side walls of the building.

The side walls ti and 9 are preferably provided with angle members 25 which are secured to the walls above the floor 21 and serve to keep dust and dirt from entering Kthe space between the floor and the walls.

Having described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is:

A oor construction for av building having fixed side walls, comprising a concrete sub-floor, sleepers embedded in said sub-floor, with their upper surfaces flush with `the upper surface of said sub-floor, perpendicular, crossmembers secured .to said sleepers in parallel, spaced relation, and resting on said concrete sub-floor, a plurality of small, substantially square bearing plates, each having opstanding side walls, secured in spaced relation'to said cross-members, a finished floor, spaced floor joists for supporting said'nished floor, said j'oists being arranged perpendicularly to said cross-members and parallel `to said sleepers, a plurality of arcuate springs secured at their centers, to said joists, each spring having its respective ends slidable on one of said bearing plates, and spaced, depending stop members, having direct load-carrying capacity, carried by and positioned beneath said joists and oiset laterally from said springs and spaced from said bearing plates, whereby the flexing of said springs is limited and the vertical load on said finished floor and joists, is evenly distributed lto the sub-floor, when said nished iioor is moved a predetermined distance downwardly by `an imposed load.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,407,345 Reid Sept. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 200,728 Great Britain 1923 186,192 Switzerland 1936 

